If youâre watching your cholesterol, youâre probably wary of foods known to be high in it. Some foods do raise cholesterol levels. These include treats high in fat, meats high in saturated fats, and foods fried in oil.
All cholesterol isnât equal, though. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) sticks to your arteries, while HDL (high-density lipoprotein) takes in the waxy substance and sends it to your liver, which knows how to fix it.
A high-cholesterol dish is healthier when itâs low in saturated fat. According to experts, cutting back on saturated fats can sometimes work just as well as cutting out all cholesterol.
One large scrambled egg has 169 milligrams of cholesterol, which is more than half of the RDA of 300 milligrams. If high cholesterol runs in your family, doctors typically advise you to aim for 200 milligrams.
But eggs are also chock-full of vitamins, iron, and protein. Theyâre also low in saturated fat. Three to four whole eggs a week should be OK. Itâs the yolk thatâs tricky. Egg whites will give you protein without any cholesterol.
A can of sardines in oil contains a whopping 131 milligrams of cholesterol. But it makes the American Heart Associationâs healthy cholesterol guide — in moderation. Two 4-ounce servings a week is a good rule of thumb.
The magic in sardines is in the omega-3s, which your body doesnât make itself. These fats help keep your triglycerides in check. Triglycerides are a type of fat in your blood that can be bad for your heart in large amounts.
Shrimp are notably high in cholesterol. Youâll take in about 130 milligrams if you eat 12 large shrimp. But shrimp are full of B vitamins, protein, and the nutrients selenium and zinc, and they only have 2 grams of fat. Check with your doctor, but you can likely enjoy them once or twice a week. Shrimp also boast high levels of unsaturated fatty acids, which raise HDL levels.
Other shellfish in the low-fat club — with less cholesterol than shrimp — include crab and octopus. Still better are clams, mussels, oysters, and scallops, which are low-cholesterol and low-fat both.
It might seem like ground beef, which has 110 mg of cholesterol, would be a better choice than shrimp. There are 20 grams of fat in beef, with 10 grams of saturated fat. This means that red meat isn’t as good as vegetables. Cutting out all the fat, even the marbling, from a 4-ounce serving of beef leaves you with only 45 mg of cholesterol.
Steer away from fatty steak, roasts, and regular ground beef. Instead, choose 90% lean ground beef and leaner cuts: filet, flank steak, sirloin, tenderloin. Even better: skinless baked chicken or lean ground poultry meat.
Some sources claim beef from grass-fed cattle is lower in cholesterol than conventionally raised grain-fed cattle. When the fat content is the same, though, a study from Texas Tech University found that the two have the same amount of cholesterol.
That said, ground beef from grass-fed cattle has three times the omega-3 fatty acids grain-fed options do. But along with that omega-3 boost comes more saturated and trans fat.
Is Shrimp Considered Red Meat? The Surprising Truth
Shrimp is one of the most popular seafood options around the world Its sweet, briny flavor and versatility make it a staple ingredient in many cuisines However, there has been some debate over whether shrimp should be classified as a red meat or a white meat. This article will examine the evidence and provide a clear answer to the question “is shrimp red meat?”.
What Defines Red Meat vs White Meat?
In culinary terms, red meat refers to meat from mammals like beef, lamb, and pork The red color comes from myoglobin, an iron-rich protein found in the muscles that helps ferry oxygen to them. In contrast, white meat comes from animals like chicken and fish which have muscles that are used less frequently and contain less myoglobin
By this definition, shrimp would not be considered a red meat since it comes from an arthropod, not a mammal. However, there are some reasons why shrimp meat can appear pink or red which has led to the confusion.
Why Can Shrimp Look Red?
When alive, shrimp have a grayish, translucent appearance. However, when cooked, shrimp meat takes on a pink or even reddish hue. This color change is caused by astaxanthin, a naturally occurring pigment found in the shells of shrimp and other crustaceans. Astaxanthin belongs to a class of pigments called carotenoids which also give salmon, flamingos, and other sea creatures their distinctive pinkish-red hues.
During the cooking process, the astaxanthin leaches out from the shrimp shell and penetrates the meat, turning it pink. The longer the shrimp is cooked, the redder it becomes as more pigment is released.
While it may appear red, this coloration in shrimp meat is very different from the redness of mammalian muscle meat caused by myoglobin. The pink/red color of cooked shrimp is purely cosmetic and not an indication that it is a red meat.
Nutritional Profile of Shrimp
Looking beyond color, the nutritional makeup of shrimp is also quite distinct from most red meats. Here’s a comparison of a 3 oz serving of shrimp versus beef:
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Shrimp has significantly less fat and more than double the protein compared to beef. Shrimp’s fat content is comparable to chicken, considered a white meat.
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Shrimp provides hardly any iron (less than 1 mg vs 2.5 mg in beef). Since iron rich myoglobin is what makes red meat red, shrimp’s lack of iron points to it not being a true red meat.
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Shrimp has a higher concentration of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids compared to beef. Red meat is not considered a significant source of omega-3s.
So in terms of macronutrients, shrimp has more in common with white meats than red.
Cultural and Culinary Associations
Culturally, shrimp is typically grouped under the seafood category rather than being considered a meat. Religiously, Hindus and Buddhists who avoid red meat are allowed to eat shrimp. Catholics who avoid red meat during Lent can eat shrimp too.
Culinarily, shrimp is rarely used interchangeably with red meats like beef and lamb. It has its own distinct flavors and textures that differentiate it from red meats. When categorizing types of meat, chefs invariably group shrimp under seafood rather than red meat.
Health and Safety Considerations
There are also some health-related reasons why shrimp is not considered a red meat:
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The World Health Organization has classified red meat as a probable carcinogen if eaten in excess. No such warning exists for shrimp or seafood in general.
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Red meats like beef and pork need to be cooked thoroughly to eliminate foodborne pathogens. Shrimp can be eaten raw or cooked slightly without the same level of risk.
So in terms of food safety guidance, shrimp is also treated differently than mammal-derived red meats.
Is Shrimp Meat Healthy?
Given all the evidence above indicating shrimp is not a red meat, the question still remains if shrimp is a healthy meat option. Shrimp does provide high quality protein with all the essential amino acids. It has less cholesterol than many red meats and is rich in vitamins and minerals like selenium, iodine, and vitamin B12.
However, shrimp also has some downsides:
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Farm-raised shrimp may have added preservatives and antibiotics. Opt for wild caught shrimp when possible.
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Shrimp is high in cholesterol with over 100 mg per 3 oz serving. People with high cholesterol need to limit intake.
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There are sustainability concerns with shrimp farming which can damage coastal ecosystems.
So is shrimp meat good for you? In moderation as part of a balanced diet, the nutrients in shrimp can provide some health benefits. But be mindful of where shrimp is sourced from and avoid having it too often if cholesterol is a concern.
The Verdict: Shrimp is Not Red Meat
When all the evidence is compiled, shrimp clearly lacks the definitional and nutritional attributes that would classify it as a red meat:
✓ The red color in cooked shrimp comes from a pigment, not myoglobin like in red meats.
✓ Shrimp is low in fat and high in protein with a different nutritional profile than red meats.
✓ Culturally, religiously, and culinarily, shrimp is considered a separate category from mammal meat.
✓ Shrimp carries fewer health risks and food safety concerns compared to red meats.
Frequency of Entities:
shrimp: 35
red meat: 19
white meat: 5
meat: 16
color: 7
nutritional: 5
culinary: 3
health: 5
You Can Splurge Sometimes
Most of the time, you should eat healthy, but sometimes you can treat yourself to a tasty high-cholesterol food that doesn’t have any health benefits. Just donât indulge every day, specialists say. The key is moderation.
More on Cholesterol Management
Why Do I Feel Worse When Eating Red Meat?
Is cooked shrimp a fish?
This issue can be confused further though as whilst raw shrimp meat is the same grey color, cooked shrimp fish is an opaque white pink and red meat. Due to the shrimp being a crustacean, like crab meat, it isn’t technically considered fish, although it does still belong to the seafood food group due to not being land animals.
Is shrimp a meat?
Both biologically and according to the dictionary definition, seafood and therefore shrimp would be considered meat. However, many religious groups, along with pescatarians and parts of the culinary world would likely make the distinction between meat and fish and therefore say that shrimp isn’t meat. Naturally, this can be quite confusing.
What is considered red meat?
Distinguishing between the age of the animal, gastronomy considers meat from adult mammals as red meat. This includes beef, horse, mutton, venison, boar, and hare. While young mammal meat including rabbit, veal, and lamb may be considered white meat along with poultry and fish. Pork and duck are gray area meats.
Why is shrimp so popular in America?
Shrimp is one of, if not the most popular types of seafood in America. This wide popularity indeed is due in part thanks to the highly lauded Oregon shrimp meat, pink shrimp meat, or bay shrimp as it is also known.